Book 2

Last month, I worked on writing the first book of a series that I've been playing with for some time. This month, I started writing the second book in the series. Here's how it starts:

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The tolling of the old temple bell was low and sonorous in the dim morning. Clouds obscured most of the pale dawn light, leaving the world below grey and dark as folk got out of bed and readied themselves for the day. Karia paused by a deep window, a narrow slit in the stone wall that let in the warm breeze from the distant forest. It smelled of growing things and damp earth. She breathed deeply, but knew that the morning routine wouldn't wait. With a sigh, she kept on along the corridor, past deep-set windows like narrow eyes in the stone.

As she entered the auditorium, the singing of the choir in the loft fell down upon her ears like snow, high and soft, echoing from one wall to another until it seemed that the music came from all around. She had never particularly liked the higher songs, but this was part of the rotation, and soon enough they would be back to the lower, quieter songs that Karia liked better.

The girl dipped her fingers in the cleansing fountain as she passed and touched her fingertips to her lips as she moved forward along the aisle. Past the rows reserved for the laboring Sisters, who were all present. Past the rows for the studying Sisters, who were about half there, still trickling in through the door and past the fountain. Past the rows for the fighting Sisters, who wore their leather armor proudly. Only a handful were here now. The rest were at the border, protecting the village from the monsters in the forest.

Finally, at the very front, the rows for the serving Sisters, the temple staff. She took her seat at the very outside edge of the front row. She sat there, because there was no traditional seat for girls like her, Oracles who weren't Oracles. She had the Gift, but there were already two Oracles serving the temple, and when she had arrived as a child, they had both been in good health.

"We pray to the goddess Pyra, Lady Defender, First Paladin of the Heavens," chanted the Mother Superior, "to protect us and give us strength to protect her children. We are her servants and uphold her vow still."

"Amen," responded the assembled Sisters.

She'd heard it a thousand times. No, probably more than that. The call for blessing, the request for strength and protection, the appeal for guidance. It was as familiar as the rhythm of her own breathing. Every now and then, though, like today, Karia closed her eyes and listened to the words, let them seep into her.

"Lead us, great goddess, in your way, in the way of showing compassion to the lowly, avenging the fallen, and upholding the weak."

"Amen," murmured the Sisters.

Karia bowed her head. She had been given to the temple as a child, but sometimes she thought to herself that she might have come to dedicate herself to the Pyrene Sisters anyway. They were good people, and their ways were generous, as well as strong.

It doesn't hurt that you know me.

The words vibrated through her mind like a silent tremor, but maybe deeper. It was a pleasant feeling, and Karia never resented it.

Probably doesn't. She paused a moment, waiting for the goddess to say more. Pyra didn't usually speak unless she had something specific to say. She didn't have long to wait.

This war will not end well, if pursued to its end. Tell the Mother Superior that we are defenders, not soldiers.

Karia didn't like the sound of that. The temple was already unpopular in the village because of their neutral stance on the war. This message wouldn't improve relations with the village leaders at all.

I'm not interested in improving relations with anyone. Only with defending the weak and upholding the helpless. Pyra's tone was peevish, and the girl covered her mouth with a hand, as if she could hide her amusement from the goddess.

Did you tell the others? She wasn't sure why Pyra talked to her as often as she did. She had two other Oracles here in the temple, and Karia herself was just a novice. A spare. She pushed away the sour feeling that always accompanied the thought.

Red's mind is clouded. She won't listen, or can't. And Julianne is praying too loudly to hear me.

The First Oracle had been in service so long that both she and Pyra had forgotten her name. The Second Oracle, Julianne, was newer. She'd been installed as the Second Oracle a little while before Karia had been given to the temple. The girl sighed.

Okay. I'll ask for an audience with the Mother Superior after morning prayers. She hesitated, then asked a question she'd rarely dared even to think of before. Is Red going insane? The First Oracle had always been a little vacant. She locked herself in a single room and never emerged, even for meals. She rarely spoke, and when she did, a lot of the time her words didn't make sense. Like riddles.

Pyra was quiet after that. When morning prayers were done, Karia approached the Mother Superior quietly, waiting at a respectful distance while two grave-looking Sisters, one in armor, the other in brown robes, discussed their petition with their superior. Karia knew it was impolite, even disrespectful, to listen to other people's conversations, but she didn't mean to. She was just standing quietly, and their words reached her. It would have attracted attention to back away again. So she stood very still and tried to convince herself that she wasn't listening.

"... is getting worse. I know we promised to keep her, Mother, but this is beyond our skill."

"I have to agree with Sister Tamara, Mother. It would be cruel to keep her in service any longer."

The Mother Superior nodded somberly. "I will discuss it with her," she agreed. "But do you think Julianne is ready to be the First Oracle? It's a heavy burden to place on anyone's shoulders."

"Our only other option is Karia, and she has no training," pointed out the Sister in robes. The Mother Superior nodded again, seeming troubled. She looked around then, and noticed Karia standing nearby.

"Come here, child." The command was issued in a gentle tone, and Karia obeyed without hesitation. "Did you wish to speak with me?"

"Yes, Mother. I have a message for you from the goddess." Karia noticed that as she spoke, the two Sisters traded a significant look.

"Go on, my child," said the Mother Superior, her brow wrinkled with something like concern.

"The war will not end well if pursued to its end. We are defenders, not soldiers." Karia repeated the words dutifully, watching the Mother Superior's face for a reaction. The woman's wrinkled face paled, then firmed with determination.

"Thank you, Karia. You have done well." She extended her hand and, out of habit, Karia bent to kiss it. But she wondered as she did so whether something about what the Fighting Sisters were doing was about to change. But once the woman's hand withdrew into the enfolding sleeve, the dismissal was complete. Karia bowed her head and retreated, taking herself away to her chores.

They had been talking about Red, she was sure of it. Red was sick? She prayed briefly to Pyra, asking her to spare the old Oracle any pain, but she couldn't quite restrain the thoughts that followed.

Red would soon be gone, one way or another. She would be elevated to the position of Oracle. After so many years of waiting for the position to open, for it to be her turn to really belong, she wasn't sure she wanted it.